Picket Fence Free Fall - Vernier Software & Technology

ExperimentTEACHER INFORMATION 5Picket Fence Free Fall1. The student pages with complete instructions for data collection using LabQuest App,Logger Pro (computers), EasyData or DataMate (calculators), and DataPro (Palm handhelds)can be found on the CD that accompanies this book. See Appendix A for more information.2. Dirty or scratched Picket Fences may give erratic results.3. Picket Fences are available from Vernier Software (order code PF). You can make your ownPicket Fences using clear plastic and black tape, but the tape tends to stretch as it is placed onthe plastic. It is difficult to achieve precise results with a handmade fence. To use thesupplied experiment file, the leading edge separation of the bars must be 5.00 cm.4. It is important that the Picket Fence remain vertical during the fall. If not, the verticaldistance between bars gets smaller and the results are off.5. The Photogate must be rigidly fixed to avoid noise or systematic errors. In particular, do nothold the Photogate in your hand.6. You may want to have the students drop the Picket Fence onto a rug so that it does not getscratched or damaged.7. There is a good discussion of variation in the acceleration due to gravity on the earth's surfacein the chapter on gravitation in Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker.8. Another alternative to the extension in which students put a piece of tape on the end of thePicket Fence to add air resistance is to tape a coffee filter, parachute style, to the top of thepicket fence and proceed as instructed.Physics with Vernier5 - 1 T